Uganda hosts South Korean IT experts

A team of information technology experts from the South Korean National Information Technology Promotion Agency (NIPA) is in Uganda to undertake a feasibility study for the establishment of implementation of a Government Integrated Data Center (GIDC), Disaster Recovery Site (DRS) and Shared Services and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).

This infrastructure, once put in place, will facilitate the access of online transactions.

The National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) is hosting the visitors and represents the government of Uganda.

The development of this infrastructure is among NITA-U’s key strategic goal of providing a coordinated, harmonized and regulated IT infrastructure and services in government whilst championing and promoting Information Security in Uganda.

The IT agency (NITA-U) developed the National e-Government Master Plan in June 2012 with assistance from NIPA. The plan provides for the implementation of the entire required infrastructure.

James Saaka, the executive director at NITA-U told a news conference at the Agency’s head offices in Kampala on Aug.21 that having this entire infrastructure in place will change lives for Ugandans.

“You will not be bothered by moving to government offices for most of the information for your daily use,” he said, “You will just get this from your computer.”

Such a development saves time and other resources like money that would be spent on moving to places for the various types of information.

Saaka said the study will be completed in December this year.

The results of the feasibility study will guide the Government in setting up a quality and reliable National Data Centre and Disaster Recovery Centre in which shared services will be hosted.

Also, the Public Key Infrastructure will be defined to help support the management of secure electronic transactions.

The cooperation with the South Korean experts will involve the exchange of technical expertise, experience and information in relation to the development and implementation of a PKI and GIDC.

“NITA-U welcomes this collaboration with NIPA and will benchmark South Korean technical expertise, training, experiences and good practices in relation to the development and implementation of a PKI and GIDC,” the agency said in a press kit.